Bush's BBQ with danger
It's been said that it is good to "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
There's been a lot of speculation about the upcoming meeting between US President George W. Bush and Chinese President Jiang Zemin (江澤民). It will be brief and it is unlikely anything remarkable will come out of it.
Having peaceful relations with the PRC is in the best interests of the US right now (although it's unlikely the US under the Bush administration will ever be timid with the PRC). And as long as the PRC is on good terms with the US, an attack on Taiwan's status as a de facto nation is more unlikely.
Peace between Washington and Beijing is in the best interests of Taiwan at this moment in history, because if Taiwan can hold her breath long enough (no easy task for a vibrant democracy too often mistreated by salivating allies focused more on the lure of Beijing's dollars than democratic ideals), Beijing's dictators will disappear under the weight of democracy before too long.
The US adheres to the "one-China policy" with a nod and wink because it believes the "one China" contemplated by that policy is a democratic republic that will be born out of the freedom and democracy that is Taiwan today. Declaring formal independence for Taiwan will be moot at that point, because Taiwan can determine her own fate then according to the wishes of her people, whether as an independent nation or part of the new "United Republic of China."
Evil unfortunately takes many forms in the world today. The threat to humanity posed by madmen like Osama bin Laden, Iraqi President Saddam Hussein and religious fanatics is different than the threat posed by predatory regimes like Beijing's.
But it is correct to fear Beijing. When democratic governments rise to power, the checks and balances of democracy usually prevent rogue action. When a totalitarian communist dictatorship rises to power, it is quite another thing. The hallmarks of totalitarian rule are fear, oppression and intolerance. These assaults against basic human rights usually start against their own people. A regime that can seek to eradicate all "dissent" from within, will make every effort to eradicate the same "dissent" from without as well. Herein lies the danger.
Given the chance, and given the power to do so, Beijing will use all it resources to dominate, and domination for totalitarian regimes means "do it our way, or else." Slowly, Beijing will first lure with economic bait, then overwhelm with economic entanglements and then swallow with blackmail or force where necessary. Today Hong Kong, Tibet and Taiwan, tomorrow Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Vietnam, Japan, Indonesia and who knows where else.
Whether it is religious fanaticism that drives evil to devour those who dare to be different, or whether it is communist dictatorships that are driven to devour those who dare to be different, the lesson is the same for the free world. Stop the aggression at the inception, stop it with the truth, stop it with democracy, stop it with a taste of true freedom. Stop it at any cost, but stop it.
Hopefully the message will come across to Jiang from Bush that communist totalitarianism is waning and that the future of China is democratic capitalism. Only then can China take its place as a respected world power, not hated and feared as a world tyrant. It won't be long.
Have some BBQ, loosen your belt and pass the potatoes to the new democrats at the table.
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